Fan assembly

ABSTRACT

A fan assembly includes a fan hub. The fan hub has a body. The body includes a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface. The top surface defines a first recess towards the bottom surface.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to a fan assembly.

BACKGROUND

In an electronic device, there is a plurality of electronic components. During operation the electronic components will generate a lot of heat. In order to dissipate the heat, a cooling unit, including a fan assembly and cooling fins, is arranged in the electronic device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an example embodiment of a fan assembly.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the fan assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but viewed from another angle.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, isometric view of an area IV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along V-V line of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain sections have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.

Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented.

The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the dimension, shape, or other feature that the term modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, “substantially cylindrical” means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like.

The present disclosure is described in relation to a fan assembly comprising: a fan hub having a body, wherein the body comprises a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, the top surface defines a first recess towards the bottom surface.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate a fan assembly 100 including a fan box 10, a bearing group 20, a stator group 30, and a fan hub 40.

FIG. 2 illustrates that the fan box 10 includes a frame 11, a bearing block 12, and a connecting section 13.

The frame 11 includes an upper surface 111 and a lower surface 112. The upper surface 111 and the lower surface 112 are opposite to each other. The upper surface 111 defines a receiving space 113 towards the lower surface 112. The receiving space 113 is configured to receive the bearing block 12, the connecting section 13, the bearing group 20, the stator group 30, and the fan hub 40.

The bearing block 12 is located in the receiving space 113 and is adjacent to the lower surface 112. In at least one embodiment, the bearing block 12 is located in the center of the receiving space 113. A shaft tube 121 is assembled on the bearing block 12. The shaft tube 121 protrudes from a center of the bearing block 12 towards the upper surface 111. The shaft tube 121 defines a through hole 1211 along the axis. The shaft tube 121 includes an end section 1212. The end section 1212 is adjacent to the upper surface 111. In at least one embodiment, the end section 1212 is substantially ring shaped. An inside diameter of the end section 1212 is smaller than a diameter of the through hole 1211. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate that the lower surface 112 defines a depression 122 into the bearing block 12. The depression 122 is in communication with the through hole 1211. A diameter of the depression 122 is greater than a diameter of the through hole 1211. In at least one embodiment, the depression 122 and the through hole 1211 are substantially coaxial. The depression 122 includes a bottom surface 1221. The bottom surface 1221 and the lower surface 112 are parallel to each other. The bearing block 12 further includes a plurality of hooks 1222 protruding from the bottom surface 1221 towards the lower surface 112. The hooks 1222 surround the through hole 1211 and are equally spaced.

FIG. 2 illustrates that the connecting part 13 is located in the receiving space 113 and is adjacent to the lower surface 112. The connecting part 13 is connected between the bearing block 12 and the frame 11. The connecting part 13 includes a plurality of connecting arms 131. In at least one embodiment, the connecting part 13 includes four connecting arms 1311. The connecting arms 131 are equally spaced. At least one of the connecting arms 131 defines a slot 1311 to receive wires.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrates that the bearing group 20 includes a buckle ring 21, an oil storage 22, a bearing 23, a wear resistant plate 24, a magnetic absorption structure 25, a sealing ring 26, and a bottom cover 27. The buckle ring 21, the oil storage 22, the bearing 23, the wear resistant plate 24, and the magnetic adsorption structure 25 are mounted into the through hole 1211 in that order and contact with each other. The buckle ring 21 contacts with the end section 1212. In at least one embodiment, a plurality of pores is defined inside the bearing 23. A shaft hole 231 is defined along an axis of the bearing 23, and a groove 232 is defined at the top of the bearing 23. The groove 232 is substantially ring shaped. The groove 232 and the shaft hole 231 are in communication with each other. A diameter of the groove 232 is greater than a diameter of the shaft hole 231. The oil storage 22 is received in the groove 232. A through hole 221 is defined in the oil storage 22 corresponding to the shaft hole 231. The oil storage 22 can be made of porous material, such as polyurethane foam (commonly known as the sponge) or foam metal. The magnetic absorption structure 25 includes a magnet 251 and a magnetic yoke 252. The magnet 251 is received in the magnetic yoke 252. A surface of the magnet 251 adjacent to the bearing 23 is exposed from the magnetic yoke 252. The bottom cover 27 includes a bottom wall 271 and a side wall 272. The side wall 272 protrudes vertically from a center of the bottom wall 271. The bottom wall 271 is substantially a circular shape. The side wall 272 is substantially ring shaped. An outside diameter of the bottom wall 271 is substantially equal to a diameter of the depression 122. An outside diameter of the side wall 272 is substantially equal to a diameter of the through hole 1211. The bottom wall 271 defines a plurality of clip holes 2711 surrounding the side wall 272. The clip holes 2711 run through the bottom wall 271. Each clip hole 2711 respectively corresponds to a hook 1222. The clip holes 2711 and the hooks 1222 fit with each other to fix the bottom cover 27 in the depression 122. The sealing ring 26 is arranged on the outside of the side wall 272.

The stator group 30 is positioned on the bearing block 12. The stator group 30 defines a through hole 301, configured to allow the shaft tube 121 to pass through. A diameter of the through hole 301 is substantially equal to an outside diameter of the shaft tube 121. The stator group 30 includes a base 31, a plurality of silicon steel sheets 32, and a plurality of coils 33. The base 31 contacts with the bearing block 12. A plurality of control circuits are arranged on the base 31. The silicon steel sheets 32 protrude from the base 31, and are substantially equally spaced from each other. The coils 33 wind around the silicon steel sheets 32.

The fan hub 40 includes a body 41, a top cover 42, a shaft 43, and a number of fans 44. The body 41 is substantially cylinder, and includes a top surface 411 and a bottom surface 412. The top surface 411 defines a first recess 413 towards the bottom surface 412. The bottom surface 412 defines a second recess 414 towards the top surface 411. The first and second recesses 413, 414 are spaced apart from each other. In at least one embodiment, a depth of the first recess 413 is smaller than a depth of the second recess 414. The first and second recesses 413, 414 are substantially coaxial. An inside diameter of the second recess 414 is substantially equal to an outside diameter of the bearing block 12. The second recess 414 includes a bottom surface 4141. The bottom surface 4141 is substantially parallel to the bottom surface 412. The top cover 42 covers and seals the first recess 413 to define an air insulation layer 415. The air insulating layer 415 is configured to avoid a noise caused by a poor flow field around the first recess 413. The top cover 42 can be made of heat conductive materials, such as copper or aluminum. The top cover 42 can be bonded to the top surface 411. In at least one embodiment, the top cover 42 is substantially a disc shape. A diameter of the top cover 42 is substantially equal to an outside diameter of the body 41. The shaft 43 is located in the second recess 414 and protrudes from the bottom surface 4141 towards the bottom surface 412. In at least one embodiment, the shaft 43 protrudes along an axis of the body 41. A diameter of the shaft 43 is substantially equal to a diameter of the shaft hole 231 and an inside diameter of the end section 1212. The fans 44 extend outside from the body 41 radically. In at least one embodiment, the fans 44 are substantially equally spaced from each other.

FIG. 5 illustrates that during assembly, the buckle ring 21, the oil storage 22, the bearing 23, the wear resistant plate 24, and the magnetic adsorption structure 25 are mounted into the through hole 1211 in that order from the depression 122. The sealing ring 26 is arranged on the outside of the side wall 272 of the bottom cover 27. The bottom cover 27 covers the depression 122 and is fixed in the depression 122 via the cooperation between the clip holes 2711 and the hooks 1222. The sealing ring 26 is clamped between the side wall 272 and a wall of the through hole 1211. The side wall 272, the magnetic adsorption structure 25, the wear resistant plate 24, the bearing 23, the oil storage 22, the buckle ring 21, and the end section 1212 contact with each other in that order, to fix the bearing group 20 in the through hole 1211. The stator group 30 is mounted on the bearing block 12 from the upper surface 111. The shaft tube 121 runs through the through hole 301. The base 31 contacts with the bearing block 12. In at least one embodiment, the base 31 and the bearing block 12 can be bonded together. The fan hub 40 is mounted into the receiving space 133 from the upper surface 111. The shaft 43 runs into the bearing group 20, and runs through the end section 1212, the buckle ring 21, the oil storage 22, the bearing 23, and the wear resistant plate 24. An end of the shaft 43 is aligned with the magnet 251.

In other embodiments, the top cover 42 can be a bullet shaped cover.

In the present embodiment, the first recess 413 which is defined from the top surface 411 towards the bottom surface 412, can increase a heat dissipation area of the fan assembly 100 so as to provide a quick dissipation of the heat generated on the fan assembly 100. The air insulating layer 415 in the first recess 413 can separate the heat outside and the elements in the fan assemble 100 so as to avoid a high temperature of the fan assembly 100, and extend a life of the fan assembly 100.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of a fan assembly. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the sections within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan assembly comprising: a fan hub having a body comprising a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, wherein the top surface defines a first recess towards the bottom surface.
 2. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface defines a second recess towards the top surface, the first recess and the second recess are spaced apart from each other.
 3. The fan assembly of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of fans, wherein the fans extend outside from the body radically.
 4. The fan assembly of claim 3, further comprising a shaft, wherein the second recess comprises a bottom surface, the bottom surface is parallel to the bottom surface of the body, the shaft protrudes from the bottom surface of the second recess towards the bottom surface of the body.
 5. The fan assembly of claim 4, wherein the shaft and the body are coaxial.
 6. The fan assembly of claim 4, further comprising a fan box, a bearing group, and a stator group, wherein the fan box comprises a frame and a bearing block, the frame comprises an upper surface and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, the upper surface defines a receiving space towards the lower surface, the bearing block is located at a center of the receiving space and is adjacent to the lower surface, the fan box further comprises a shaft tube protruding from a center of the bearing block towards the upper surface, the shaft tube runs through the stator group, the stator group is fixed on the bearing block, the shaft tube defines a through hole to receive the bearing group, the fan hub is received in the receiving space and is fixed on the bearing block, the shaft runs into the bearing group.
 7. The fan assembly of claim 6, wherein the bearing group comprises a magnetic absorption structure, the magnetic absorption structure comprises a magnet and a magnetic yoke, the magnet is received in the magnetic yoke, a surface of the magnet adjacent to the upper surface is exposed from the magnetic yoke and is aligned with the shaft.
 8. The fan assembly of claim 6, wherein the fan box further comprises a connecting part, the connecting part is received in the receiving space and is adjacent to the lower surface, the connecting part is connected between the frame and the bearing block, the connecting part comprises a plurality of connecting arms, at least one connecting arms defines a slot to receive electric wires.
 9. The fan assembly of claim 8, wherein the connecting arms are equally spaced from each other.
 10. The fan assembly of claim 1, further comprising a top cover, fixed on the top surface and sealing the first recess to define an air insulation layer.
 11. The fan assembly of claim 10, wherein the top cover has a disc shape.
 12. The fan assembly of claim 10, wherein the top cover has a bullet shape. 